T260GPrologue
by RiceKrispie
Summary: What I think happened before the events of T260G's scenario. There's more to this as well, but I never got around to typing it. I intended to do the qhole scenario, but couldn't be bothered to keep with the dialogue. Maybe I'll continue someday.


Chapter 1  
  
The captain stared out the huge view screen of the massive battle cruiser. He had been appointed captain because of his legendary battle tactics that he had used in many different battles throughout his long lifetime. But the battle that he, his crew, and the rest of the world were about to engage in was, by far, the most important battle of all. He would need all of the battle expertise he had gained throughout his two-and-a-half century lifespan to defeat the menace that was threatening life in all regions. Their own runaway creation, with no sense of compassion, love, kindness...anything that made a machine like a human it lacked. It had been created to protect the planet from anything that would ever threaten the peace after the long war that had just ended. After such a long period of war and destruction, they had only wished to create a being to help enforce the peace. They made prototype after prototype until finally they seemed to have created the perfect machine for the tasks that awaited it. They dubbed it RB3, named after the scientist that was responsible for bringing an end to the war. At last the long awaited moment came, and they activated the fully-functional RB3 model for the first time.  
Boy did we ever screw up, the captain thought to himself.  
A voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He seemed to be doing that more and more recently, he thought to himself. Must just be dust in the circuits, he thought.  
Excuse me, Armano sir? The voice said again.  
What, what? The captain said in an impatient tone. Don't just stand there, what have you got to say?  
Sorry sir, but I was told to tell you we're ready to launch. All preparations are complete. We only await your command.  
Thank you. Return to your post.  
came the prompt reply, as the ensign scurried back down the ramp that led to the lower sections of the bridge.  
All stations, ready for launch! The captain roared.  
Engine's ready! Came the call from he left.  
Navigation set! Came the call from the center.  
Weapons standing by! Came the call from behind him.  
Thrusters activated! Came the call from right. Awaiting your command sir!  
Very well then, the captain said. He took one last look through the view screen, took a deep breath, then bellowed out the order to fire the thrusters.  
Yes sir! Firing thrusters, half power.  
The battle cruiser shook for a second. Then there was a deep rumbling. Then, ever so slowly, the ship began to move forward. Then it began to speed up. Slowly, slowly working it's way out of the huge port.  
We're clear of the port. Firing thrusters, full power.  
The ship started accelerating. Then a voice came through the comm unit. It was the admiral, back at the port.  
Nice job, Defiant. The rest of the fleet will meet you in Sector 7. Good luck and godspeed.  
Thank you, admiral. I can only wish you the same. Armano out. The captain ordered the transmission cut. Here we go, he thought to himself. No more drills, no more sleepless nights. This really was the end, one way or another.  
The ship lurched as it entered spacedrift, or what they called it when they went between regions. It wasn't really space, it wasn't really the earth, it was somewhere in between. That was where RB3 hid while it continued its countdown to doomsday, what it had deemed it's sole purpose. There had been a programming error on the part of the scientists behind its construction. It was small, but it set off a chain reaction of subroutines and unwanted protocols, which couldn't have been detected before activating the system. Of course, when they had finally realized their mistakes, RB3 was fully functional. It began the destruction of the entire complex that had been devoted to its creation. It then went on to destroy the entire region where it had been centered around. In fact, the region had been established solely for that purpose. So it seemed only fitting that it had been destroyed first. It was what they deserved for trying to play god.  
But it didn't stop there. RB3 decided that all there was no need for any life other than its own to exist. So it began a countdown. It was charging all of it's power to fire at all regions, to wipe out all life. It had no sense of right or wrong. It only saw living things as consumers. All they did was consume and use other living things. Therefore, everything and everyone would be better off without them. So it began.  
Now they had assembled a huge fleet to send against RB3. Also, once it was determined that RB3 had to be stopped, construction had begun on a new model. It was designed specifically for battle with the RB3 model. It knew every circuit, subroutine and chip that made up RB3. And it knew how to destroy them. It was a killing machine. But this time, it had been programmed with a humanoid mind. It did not have any of the problems that the RB3 model had. Then, this mec was hooked up to the control system of the Defiant so that it could act as the on-board computer. When needed, it would attack the RB3 model and destroy it. It was their secret weapon.  
Sir, we have reached Sector 7, came the call from the navigation console. The rest of the fleet is assembled.  
Good. Where was RB3 last sighted?  
A few minutes away, if we traveled at half speed.  
The captain fidgeted around a little bit. He knew he should make some sort of final announcement to teh fleet, but he never had been very good at public speaking. Um...er...comm! Open a channel to the fleet.  
came the prompt reply. Channel open.  
The captain took a deep breath. Attention all personnel. This is Captain Armano Dugatte. We are about to mount an attack on the most powerful being ever created. We all know that we may not come out of this alive. But be strong, and hope for the best. We will not lose! He didn't know whether he was speaking more to the fleet, or to himself. He barely heard the cheer that the bridge crew put up.  
After the noise died down he gave the order.  
Engine control?  
Yes sir?  
He took a deep breath. Half power toward RB3. Engage.  
  
Another violent explosion rocked the ship. There was an ominous shudder.  
Shields at 75 per cent and falling! Came the yell from weapons. Fleet has been reduced by 20 per cent!  
The captain's mind raced. How could their estimates have been so far off? It had been only a mere two minutes since beginning the battle with RB3, and already things were looking grim.  
It's that blasted cannon! As long as it's operational, we cant mount a decent counterattack! Order squadrons 3 through 7 to attack it! All other units, take out those turrets!  
Just then another explosion shook the ship, and the captain was thrown out of his chair.  
Shields at 40 per cent! A few more of those and we're gone!  
Then the comm station reported in. Sir, they can't find a place to hit that cannon! Whenever they get close to it it just shoots them down! And there are just too many turrets! WE can't get them all!  
Sir, fleet size reduced by 25 percent!  
The captain didn't know what to do. His planning had been right on. It was just too powerful.  
We just lost another three squadrons to the main cannon!  
What do I do? He thought to himself. Reports kept coming in of more and more casualties. There was no good news. Suddenly, the computer's voice came in through the overhead speaker.  
Captain, I suggest a strategic retreat. This approach is not working. You have barely caused any damage to the RB3 model. Continuing this action is futile.  
He knew the computer was right. It knew everything about RB3, and even it didn't know how to hurt it. It was humiliating, but even he knew when to run.  
Give the order to retreat! The captain yelled out.  
But sir... his first officer began.  
No buts! You heard me! Give the order to retreat! Evacuate the ship!  
Yes, yes sir!He turned toward the microphone. All hands, evacuate! Abandon ship! Comm, give the order to retreat to the rest of the fleet. Get out at your own discretion!  
A few things were taken care of, but the bridge was empty in moments. All except for Armano. He waited a few minutes, staring out the monitor at the monster they thought they had stood a chance against.  
After a long period of silence he asked the computer, is everyone off the ship? Yes. Evacuation is complete. You are the only one left on board.  
Do we have the power to re-enter the region?  
  
Very well. Begin emergency maneuvers. Give us as much time as possible to escape.  
Yes. Farewell, captain. Good luck.  
Thank you. With that he pressed a button on his chest. Two metallic silver wings extended from his back. Then he hit the button for opening the bridge airlock, which was right above him. Within moments he was gone through the opening.  
The voice of the computer reported it's progress to an empty ship.  
Diverting remaining power to engines.  
Starboard 120...  
The ship propelled itself at full speed toward the giant hulking form of RB3 that loomed before it. It was trying to buy the fleet enough time to make a decent retreat. It was all he could do.  
Lasers and rockets came raining down on the shields. After the shields were gone they hit the hull. It gave a massive groan as parts of it began to buckle from the impacts. Pieces were blown away, landing in different regions all over the planet. But the battlecruise was a sturdy ship, and it still managed to hold most of itself together. But before the ship could make contact with RB3, a giant missile struck the side of the ship, blowing away a good portion of it. Unfortunately, it also changed the ship's course enough to direct it away from RB3 and into an uninhabited region. With no power left to stop itself, the ship's own momentum sent it crashing into the ground. Pieces of metal and ship circuitry were blown all over, some in big chunks, others in small heaps. They made craters that littered the landscape. Craters that were full of junk.  
  
RB3 was finished.  
After months of counting down, the moment had finally arrived.  
There was no warning. RB3 was a machine. It didn't even hesitate.  
The countdown was done. RB3 fired a planet-wide barrage.  
For a moment, all sound on the planet simply ceased. Then there was a blinding flash. Then an explosion. It was the biggest explosion that anyone had ever seen. Or hadn't seen. There was no one to see it. They were all gone. Vaporized. Blasted. Destroyed. All life, gone.  
RB3 scanned the regions. There was no life registering on the scanners. It's job was done. There was no threat to its existence. It shut down it's systems, it's job completed. It left only it's self-preservation routines online, to keep itself from drifting into an unwanted position.


End file.
